Brushless rotary plasma electrode structure and film coating system

ABSTRACT

A brushless rotary plasma electrode structure is disclosed. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure includes a main body, a plurality of guided portions, and a plurality of conducting-through members. The main body further includes a plurality of electrode portions that have a first salient portion furnished at the periphery thereof. The guided portion is penetrated through the electrode portion. Each of the conducting-through members further includes a second salient portion. There is an internal in both the first salient portion and the second salient portion. In addition, a film coating system is also provided.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application also claims priority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 104101506 filed in the Taiwan Patent Office on Jan. 16, 2015, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to an electrode structure and film coating system, and more particularly, to a brushless rotary plasma electrode structure and film coating system containing brushless rotary plasma electrode structure.

BACKGROUND

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the brush-type rotary plasma electrode structure of the prior art. Please refer to FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the brush-type rotary plasma electrode structure (10) of the prior art includes two electrode portions (11), two guided portions (12), an isolation portion (13), a carbon brush (14) made of graphite, a RF generator (15), and an earthed electrode. The isolation portion (13) is positioned between two electrode portions (11). The guided portion (12) is penetrated through the two electrode portions (11). The carbon brush (14) is furnished at the periphery of the electrode portions (11). The RF generator (15) and the earthed electrode (16) are coupling to an end of the corresponding carbon brush (14) while the other end of the carbon brush (14) contacts the electrode portions (11).

Under this disposition, the electrode portions (11) rotates with respect to an axis A1. By the use of the carbon brush (14), the radio frequency power (RF power) generated by the RF generator (15) is transmitted to the electrode portions (11), it further generates plasma from the guided portion (12) to have the work piece perform surface treatment. However, since it is quite possible that the rotating electrode portions (11) will rub against the carbon brush (14) that results in generating heat causing high temperature which might cause fire under the long-time operation.

Furthermore, through the rubbing, the carbon brush (14) may also generate dust particles that may fall down to the work pieces and cause contamination, and which will eventually causes low NPL ratio after the plasma treatment.

SUMMARY

In light of the disadvantages of the prior arts, the disclosure provides a brushless rotary plasma electrode structure and film coating system that aims to ameliorate at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art or to provide a useful alternative.

The disclosure provides a brushless rotary plasma electrode structure which being a non-contact type power coupling structure is capable of improving the efficiency of power coupling and is capable of avoiding the generation of the contamination of dust particles and high temperature, thereby is capable of lowering the impedance.

The disclosure provides a film coating system which being including a brushless rotary plasma electrode structure is capable of improving the efficiency of power coupling to generate higher RF energy, and is capable of enhancing the generation of plasma.

In an embodiment, the disclosure provides a brushless rotary plasma electrode structure which includes a main body, a plurality of guided portions, a plurality of conducting-through members where the main body being rotating with respect to an axis further includes a plurality of electrode portions that are disposed at intervals, and the electrode portions have a first salient portion furnished at the periphery thereof; the guided portions penetrates through those electrode portions; and each of the conducting-through members includes a second salient portion, and there is a first interval furnished between the second salient portion and its corresponding first salient portion.

In an embodiment, the disclosure provides a film coating system which includes the above-mentioned brushless rotary plasma electrode structure.

Based on the above-mentioned statements, the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure of the disclosure is capable of improving the efficiency of power coupling through the above-mentioned design for conducting-through member to make the conducting-through member form a high power RF power coupling structure without contacting the electrode portions. Furthermore, it is capable of enhancing the generation of plasma to have a work piece apply in film coating system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the brush-type rotary plasma electrode structure of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 through FIG. 7 are schematic drawings of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure of the different embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure of another embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing of the film coating system of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The accomplishment of this and other objects of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description and its accompanying drawings, but it can not limit the protection range of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure of the disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure (100) includes a main body (110), a plurality of guided portions (120), an isolation portion (130), a plurality of conducting-through members (140), a RF generator (150), and an earthed electrode (160).

The main body (110) being rotating with respect to an axis A1 includes a plurality of (two shown in the FIG. 2) electrode portions (112), (114) disposed at intervals with the isolation portion (130) positioned between the two electrode portions (112).

The guided portion (120) being a hollow pipe member and penetrated through the electrode portion (112) is made by, for instance, dielectric material for guiding, for instance, ionized gas to pass through the above-mentioned electrode portions (112), (114) to form plasma.

In the present embodiment, the conducting-through member (140) are positioned at the periphery of the electrode portions (112), (114) respectively. The number of the conducting-through member (140) is 4 in the present embodiment where two of them are positioned at both ends of the electrode portion (112) at the top side while the other two of them are positioned at both ends of the electrode portion (114) at the bottom side. What is needed to explain here is that the conducting-through member (140) does not contact with the electrode portions (112), (114).

In the present embodiment, the periphery of the electrode portions (112), (114) appears in fin shape and a first salient portion (112 a) is furnished at their periphery.

In the present embodiment, one end of the conducting-through member (140) appears in fin shape. Each of the conducting-through member (140) includes a second salient portion (142) and the number of which is 3. Each of the second salient portion (142) is positioned between the two corresponding first salient portions (112 a). There is a first interval d1 between the first salient portion (112 a) and its corresponding second salient portion (142). The dimension of the first interval d1 is less than 2 mm so as to generate sufficient amount of capacitance. What is needed to explain here is that the number of the first salient portion (112 a) and the second salient portion (142) are not limited in the present embodiment.

In the present embodiment, there is a second interval d2 between the second salient portion (142) and its corresponding electrode portions (112), (114) in the conducting-through member (140) thereof. The dimension of the second interval d2 is greater than 2 mm so as to avoid generating spark.

In the present embodiment, the RF generator (150) is coupled to the corresponding conducting-through member (140). That is, as to FIG. 2, the RF generator (150) is connected to the conducting-through member (140) positioned at the top thereof. The frequency of the RF generator (150) is greater than 13.56 MHZ, while the earthed electrode (160) is coupled to the conducting-through member (140) positioned at the bottom thereof for earthing purpose.

What is described below is to explain that the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure (100) of the present embodiment is capable of forming a high-power RF power coupling structure through the electrical impedance and its related formulas:

$\begin{matrix} {Z = \frac{1}{{j\omega}\; c}} & (1) \\ {c = {\frac{Q}{V} = \frac{ɛ\; A}{d}}} & (2) \end{matrix}$

In formula (1), Z, j, ω, and c indicate impedance, imaginary number, angular frequency, and capacitance respectively.

In formula (2), c, V, and Q indicate capacitance, voltage, and electric charge respectively. The capacitance c is to measure the electric charge Q stored in the electrodes of the capacitor when the voltage between the two ends of the capacitor is an unit value. What is more, as for the capacitance in a parallel-plate capacitor, ∈, A, and d indicate dielectric constant, plate area, and the distance between the two parallel plates respectively.

It is known from formula (1) that the magnitude of the impedance Z varies with respect to the magnitude of the capacitance, i.e. the higher the magnitude of the capacitance, the lower the magnitude of the impedance Z it is. In this way, a higher RF energy can be generated. What is more, it is known from formula (2) that the magnitude of the capacitance is proportional to the magnitude of the plate area and inverse proportional to the distance d between the plates.

Corresponding to the above-mentioned formulas (1), and (2), it is known that, in the present embodiment, there is a first interval d1 between the first salient portion (112 a) and its corresponding second salient portion (142), and there is a corresponding capacitance between each of the first salient portion (112 a) and its corresponding second salient portion (142). What is more, the larger the areas of the first salient portion (112 a) and the corresponding second salient portion (142), the higher the capacitance it is. Furthermore, the way that a parallel arrangement is formed between the first salient portion (112 a) and the second salient portion (142) making the add-up of the capacitance to acquire a relatively larger capacitance. Under this disposition, while the main body (110) rotates with respect to the axis A1, through the design of the conducting-through member (140), it makes the conducting-through member (140) do not contact with the electrode portions (112) so as to form a higher power RF power coupling and lower impedance. In this way, the impedance can be lower, the power coupling efficiency can be improved and a higher RF energy can be generated.

FIG. 3 through FIG. 7 are schematic drawings of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure of the different embodiments of the disclosure. What is needed to explained here is that the brushless rotary plasma electrode structures 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 in FIG. 3 through FIG. 7 are similar to that of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure 100 in FIG. 2, and the same label numbers are used for the same elements to indicate that they are having same function, thereby, they are not going to be repeated in explanation, and only minor difference will be explained.

The difference between FIG. 3 and FIG. 2 lies in that the number of first salient portion (242) of each of the conducting-through member (240) is 4, and the first salient portion (212 a) of each of the electrode portions (212) is positioned between the two corresponding second salient portions (242).

The difference between FIG. 4 and FIG. 3 lies in the fact that there are no fin shapes at one end of the conducting-through members (140), (240) as shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 3. The conducting-through member (340) being the second salient portion itself is positioned between the two corresponding first salient portions (312 a) of the electrode portions (312) so as to form that the first salient portion (312 a) of the electrode portions (312) covers a portion of the conducting-through member (340), and the first salient portion (312 a) does not contact the conducting-through member (340).

The difference between FIG. 5 and FIG. 4 lies in the fact that the conducting-through member (440) being appeared in

-shape includes two second salient portions (442), and the first salient portion (312 a) of the electrode portions (312) is positioned the two corresponding second salient portions (442) to form that the second salient portion (442) of the conducting-through member (440) covers a portion of the first salient portion (312 a), and the second salient portion (442) does not contact the first salient portion (312 a).

The difference between FIG. 6 and FIG. 5 lies in the fact that there are no fin shapes at the periphery of the electrode portions (112), (212), (312) as shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 5. The electrode portions (412) being the first salient portion itself is positioned between the two corresponding second salient portions (442) of the electrode portions (312) so as to form that the second salient portion (442) covers a portion of the electrode portions (412), and the second salient portion (442) does not contact the electrode portions (412).

The difference between FIG. 7 and FIG. 6 lies in the fact that the conducting-through member (340) itself is the second salient portion, and the electrode portions (412) itself is the first salient portion. The conducting-through member (340) does not contact the electrode portions (412). What is needed to explain here is that the above-mentioned FIG. 2 through FIG. 7 are only demonstrating examples, and they are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. The conducting-through members and electrode portions in various embodiments in FIG. 2 through FIG. 7 can be mutually collocated.

What is needed to explain here is that the first salient portion (112 a) shown in the above-mentioned FIG. 2 is formed by putting a ring-shaped plate on the electrode portions (112), while the first salient portion (212 a) shown in FIG. 3 and the first salient portion (312 a) shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are also formed by putting the ring-shaped plate on the electrode portions (212), (312). The following examples shown in FIG. 8 explain that there is no limitation on the forming methods of the first salient portion.

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure of another embodiment of the disclosure. What is needed to explain here is that the brushless rotary plasma electrode structures 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 in FIG. 2 through FIG. 7 are similar to that of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure 700 in FIG. 8, and the same label numbers are used for the same elements to indicate that they are having same function, thereby, they are not going to be repeated here in explanation. What is the difference between that in FIG. 8 and those in FIG. 2 through FIG. 7 is, in the present embodiment, the first salient portion (512 a) is formed by having the electrode portions (512) mechanically work by channel milling, i.e. have the periphery of the electrode portions (512) to be mechanically worked to form a multiplicity of channels to make the periphery of the electrode portions (512) form a multiplicity of first salient portions (512 a) and appearing in fin shapes while the second salient portion (142) is also positioned between the two corresponding first salient portions (512 a). In this way, a high power RF power coupling structure can be formed to acquire higher capacitance, and further more, to lower impedance value in order to improve the efficiency of power coupling to generate higher RF energy. In addition, the conducting-through member (140) in FIG. 8 is only an exemplary demonstration, and is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. One can have the conducting-through members in various embodiments shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 7 collocate mutually with the electrode portions (512) shown in FIG. 8. Similarly, the disclosure is not limited to the type of the first salient portion (512 a) of the electrode portions (512) shown in FIG. 8, one can have the periphery of the electrode portion (512) to be mechanically worked to form the first salient portion shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing of the film coating system of the disclosure. The film coating system is used to have a work piece (60) to be performed film coating treatment or film deposition. The above-mentioned work piece, for example, is a wafer or a substrate that can be coated. The film coating system (50) includes brushless rotary plasma electrode structure (100). The description of structures of the embodiments of the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure (100) with the accompanied FIG. 2 is not going to be repeated here. Besides, In other embodiments, same efficacy can be achieved by applying the brushless rotary plasma electrode structures (200), (300), (400), (500), (600) in film coating system (50).

As the film coating system (50) operates, the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure (100) is capable of enhancing the generation of plasma to have a work piece (60) to be performed film coating treatment or film deposition since the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure (100) itself is formed a high power RF power coupling structure to generate higher RF energy.

To summarize the above-mentioned statements, the brushless rotary plasma electrode structure (100) of the disclosure is capable of improving the efficiency of power coupling through the above-mentioned design for conducting-through member to make the conducting-through member form a high power RF power coupling structure without contacting the electrode portions. What is more, it is capable of avoiding the generation of contamination of dust particle and high temperature since the conducting-through member does not contact the electrode portions. Furthermore, it is capable of enhancing the generation of plasma to have a work piece apply in film coating system.

It will become apparent to those people skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure.

In view of the foregoing description, it is intended that all the modifications and variation fall within the scope of the following appended claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A brushless rotary plasma electrode structure, comprising: A main body being rotating with respect to an axis further comprising a plurality of electrode portions that are disposed at intervals, and the electrode portions have a first salient portion furnished at the periphery thereof; A plurality of guided portions penetrating through those electrode portions; and A plurality of conducting-through members, each of them further comprising a second salient portion having a first interval between thereof and its corresponding the first salient portion.
 2. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, further comprising a RF generator coupling with the corresponding conducting-through member.
 3. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, further comprising an isolation portion positioned between the electrode portions.
 4. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein one end of each of the conducting-through members appears in fin shape, and the periphery of each of the electrode portions also appears in fin shape; the second salient portion is positioned between the two corresponding first salient portions.
 5. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein one end of each of the conducting-through members appears in fin shape, and the periphery of each of the electrode portions also appears in fin shape; the first salient portion is positioned between the two corresponding second salient portions.
 6. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein each of the conducting-through members is positioned between the two corresponding first salient portions, and each of the first salient portion covers a portion of the conducting-through member; the first salient portion does not contact with the conducting-through member.
 7. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein one end of each of the conducting-through member being appearing in

shape has its second salient portion cover a portion of the first salient portion, and the second salient portion does not contact the first salient portion.
 8. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein one end of each of the conducting-through member being appearing in

shape, the electrode portion is positioned between the two corresponding second salient portions; each of the second salient portion covers a portion of the electrode portion, and the second salient portion does not contact with the electrode portion.
 9. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein there is a second interval between each of the conducting-through member and the corresponding electrode portion, and the dimension of the second interval is greater than 2 mm.
 10. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein the first salient portion is formed by putting a ring-shaped plate on the electrode portion.
 11. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein the first salient portion is formed by mechanically working by channel milling.
 12. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein the dimension of the first interval is less than 2 mm.
 13. A film coating system, comprising: A brushless rotary plasma electrode structure, further comprising: A main body being rotating with respect to an axis further comprising a plurality of electrode portions that are disposed at intervals, and the electrode portions have a first salient portion furnished at the periphery thereof; A plurality of guided portions penetrating through those electrode portions; and A plurality of conducting-through members, each of them further comprising a second salient portion having a first interval between thereof and its corresponding first salient portion.
 14. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, further comprising a RF generator coupling with the corresponding conducting-through member.
 15. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, further comprising an isolation portion positioned between the electrode portions.
 16. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, wherein one end of each of the conducting-through members appears in fin shape, and the periphery of each of the electrode portions also appears in fin shape; the second salient portion is positioned between the two corresponding first salient portions.
 17. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, wherein one end of each of the conducting-through members appears in fin shape, and the periphery of each of the electrode portions also appears in fin shape; the first salient portion is positioned between the two corresponding second salient portions.
 18. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, wherein each of the conducting-through members is positioned between the two corresponding first salient portions, and each of the first salient portion covers a portion of the conducting-through member; the first salient portion does not contact with the conducting-through member.
 19. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 1, wherein one end of each of the conducting-through member being appearing in

shape has its second salient portion cover a portion of the first salient portion, and the second salient portion does not contact the first salient portion.
 20. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, wherein one end of each of the conducting-through member being appearing in

shape, the electrode portion is positioned between the two corresponding second salient portions; each of the second salient portion covers a portion of the electrode portion, and the second salient portion does not contact with the electrode portion.
 21. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, wherein there is a second interval between each of the conducting-through member and the corresponding electrode portion, and the dimension of the second interval is greater than 2 mm.
 22. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, wherein the first salient portion is formed by putting a ring-shaped plate on the electrode portion.
 23. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, wherein the first salient portion is formed by mechanically working by channel milling.
 24. The brushless rotary plasma electrode structure in claim 13, wherein the dimension of the first interval is less than 2 mm. 